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Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Chat about general parrot care and parrot owner lifestyle. Bird psychology, activities, trimming, clipping, breeding etc.

What are the most unnaceptable reason for rehoming a parrot?

Doesn't talk
16
34%
Too noisy
1
2%
Not as friendly as when it was a baby
1
2%
Want to upgrade to a bigger bird that is incompatible
12
26%
Too much work/too time consuming
3
6%
Novelty wore off/got bored of bird
11
23%
Moving, getting married, or going to college
1
2%
Spouse, significant other, roommate doesn't like it
2
4%
 
Total votes : 47

Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby Michael » Thu Jan 07, 2010 2:38 pm

What's the most unacceptable or selfish reason to rehome a parrot? What's the most bizarre reason you have heard of a parrot getting rehomed for?
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby Natacha » Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:44 am

Out of the list, I have to go with what I find is the #1 most ridiculous reason...not talking.
Irrealistic expectations that all parrots must talk. I find that getting a pet because it "can" talk is the most ridiculous reason to get a pet to start with, since there is never any guarantees that it will.

I think I would go with the Novelty wearing of/getting bored with the bird in #2. Sadly this doesn't only happen with birds and often people are repeat offenders with this (I know a few) and if there is any chance of you getting bored with a pet, don't get it to begin with.

Then the others are all pretty much as bad as each other...I don't believe in getting in the concept of "upgrading" then getting rid of your first bird..however, lot's of people get what is considered an "easy" bird to start with when it's not what they truly want and just take that opportunity to unload it (I don't agree with this). Too noisy...parrots are noisy, period. That should be one of the first consideration when getting a parrot. Not as friendly as it was as a baby; this is applicable to any pet. Babies are always sweeter and cuter and cuddlier, and bla bla bla. Why would it be any different with a bird, I don't know and there are ways to work on it. Plus, if you educated your bird properly to begin with, it can remain very sweet. Too much work/time consuming; any pet is time consuming, again why a bird would be any different is beyond me. Because you can put it in a cage? Any people who does any research will find out quickly enough that parrots are time consuming. Moving/getting married/going to college; I hate this one. I also put "having kids" in this one. You know you'll most likely want kids one day? Don't get any pets you will then want to give up, as if they were "replacement" kids until you got real ones. Moving? How long and how far? If it's only for a short period of time out of the country, you can find foster homes until you come back. Overseas? I know people who have managed to bring their birds with them. It's not terribly hard if you truly want it. Getting married? I don't know why this would change the pet status prior to getting married and truly, it's before that it should have been sorted out. If you truly want to keep your pets and that your SO is truly against it, just because he doesn't like animals (no hatred from the animal towards them, so I guess this is SO/spouse doesn't like it), then maybe you should re-evaluate if you truly want to be with this person. I really don't know why getting married changes anything.
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby MandyG » Fri Jan 08, 2010 9:48 am

Natacha wrote:Getting married? I don't know why this would change the pet status prior to getting married and truly, it's before that it should have been sorted out. If you truly want to keep your pets and that your SO is truly against it, just because he doesn't like animals (no hatred from the animal towards them, so I guess this is SO/spouse doesn't like it), then maybe you should re-evaluate if you truly want to be with this person. I really don't know why getting married changes anything.


I completely agree with this. If my husband did not like animals I wouldn't have ever gotten into a long term relationship with him. My animals are a major part of my life, if you don't like them you don't have to be in it.

Natacha wrote:(no hatred from the animal towards them, so I guess this is SO/spouse doesn't like it)


I don't see spousal aggression as an acceptable reason to get rid of a bird either. My bird can be quite aggressive towards my husband, even though my husband doesn't like birds he's still willing to work on his relationship with him for my sake. He knows I love Mojo and would never ask me to get rid of him. If he became so aggressive that he was always flying to him and attacking him and was an actual threat to my husband's safety then I would clip his wings long before I ever considered letting him go.

There are some reasons I think that these 'excuses' can be acceptable.

Too much work/time consuming: If it's simply too much work and too time consuming and not convenient then this is an awful reason. You should have done your research. But if you've fallen ill and you can't put in the time or take care of the bird properly then it's best it goes to a different home, at least until you get better if it's not a terminal illness. Or maybe you've gotten a promotion and you don't have the time for the bird, this is one reason I got one of my foster dogs. See if you can get a friend or a birdsitter that can take care of the bird. Your work load won't be that heavy permanently, and if it is maybe you should find a different job for your own health/sanity.

Moving/getting married/going to college: If you're going to college try to find a pet friendly apartment instead of living in residence. If that's not possible and you were living at home then see if your parents or a trusted friend can take care of the bird while you're away. You wouldn't get rid of a child simply because you were going to college... As for moving the only way I could see this being a reason is if there was a legal reason behind it. As in you've been transferred to a state where that type of parrot is illegal or you can't take that type of bird into a certain country.

The rest of the reasons I can't think of any way that these would be acceptable. If you get rid of your bird because it doesn't talk, isn't as sweet as it was when it was a baby, is too noisy, or is too much work you should never have had a bird in the first place. All of those things just come with the territory. Although if the owner does think like this and is too lazy or ignorant and shouldn't have bought a bird it's probably best for the bird to go to a more dedicated home where it can have the care it deserves.
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby Michael » Fri Jan 08, 2010 10:33 am

I wanted to pick moving and getting married as ridiculous reasons because I completely agree with Natacha. However, I ended up finding other reasons that on a direct comparison are more ridiculous like "doesn't talk." So what that it doesn't talk? No other pet talks. No other pet flies for that matter.

Then again I think that people who would fall into the category of too time consuming, novelty wore off, not as nice as when baby, aren't putting enough time into their bird which is why their bird isn't giving back. Perhaps if they saw playing with the bird and teaching it to talk as a fun activity rather than too time consuming, their bird would have the opportunity to learn to talk.

What this discussion seems to reveal is that the people who don't put enough time in to their birds end up getting disappointed and bored. Also I think that anyone who would get rid of their bird because they are moving, going to college, getting married, etc, never really cared about the bird to begin with or they would have made arrangements and sacrifices to make it work. I'm not planning to move any time soon but I know that if I move, one of the major points I will be considering is a flight-bird friendly environment with suitable space for bird stuff. I don't know how anyone that moves to a new house that isn't bird friendly and gives up their bird could be considered a responsible bird owner.

Finally, I wanted to mention to folks who have so/spouses that don't like or are indifferent to parrots, the best way to get them involved and interested in birds is to get them their own parrot. Of course this must be considered on an individual case by case basis but definitely something to consider. Kathleen used to hate Kili and had no involvement in bird stuff at all. So I got her a budgie, Duke, who unfortunately died. Still, Kathleen got to be involved in the whole "taking care of a bird" scenario and learned the thrill in it as well as a lot of information about it first hand. She started to help out with Kili as well and since Duke passed, Kathleen has been involved a lot more with Kili. Since I have a second helping hand I feel more comfortable getting a second parrot into the household.
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Michael
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby MandyG » Fri Jan 08, 2010 11:14 am

For examples of completely rediculous reasons to rehome a bird, look no further than the classifieds... came across this this morning.


Male is a rare yellow. Female is common green. Parrotlets are very hard to come by. They are a big parrot in a small body and they can talk.

Both are friendly, but only the male is tame. The female won't attack you, but wont' willingly go onto your finger either. The male will step up.

They come with everything you need for them (cage, food, treats, etc).

Paid over $600 for everything 2 months ago. Will sell all for $400. We've just realised that we aren't bird people.

So they owned the birds for 2 months, didn't do anything with them, and now they've realized they're 'not bird people'. :roll:

Another one:

Lovely 4 year old female cinimon faced lovey that has had two successful broods. She has now lost her mate and needs company. She is not hand friendly ( she wont step up) but has never bitten me. Her mate and chicks were very friendly. She comes complete with cage and toys. No reasonable offer will be refused. I travel and need to find her a home with other love bird/birds.
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby Michael » Fri Jan 08, 2010 11:39 am

Wow! If those birds are so lovely and so wonderful as the classifieds say, why are they getting rid of them?? Sounds like a used car dealer: "this 8 year old car has over 150,000 miles on it but runs like new." If the bird is so wonderful, why are people getting rid of it?

I can't believe someone could realize they are not a bird person in just 2 months. They haven't even given the bird a chance. And you noticed what else is sneaky? The said that parrotlets (as a species) can talk which kind of implies that theirs talk but they are most likely to young to be talking anyway.

Why are people so obsessed with keeping parrots in pairs? I still can't understand that. It seems that it is half the problems right out. I guess people get them in pairs cause they figure the birds will keep each other company but then why bother having them or interacting with them at all? Ugh.
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Michael
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby sift » Fri Jan 08, 2010 12:44 pm

Just a note on the pairs thing... At our store it's the policy that lovebirds and budgies don't go home without a companion (unless there's already a companion at the home). I think it's more of a damage control thing than anything else. At least this way, if the people end up not spending enough time with the birds after the novelty wears off, the birds will have company and not be so incredibly lonely. Finches go home in pairs or - preferably - trios. We also have a peach fronted conure that I would be veeery unwilling to send home without her chosen companion - a Quaker parrot. If you pick one of them up without the other one, the one who is left behind shrieks up a storm and the one who is on your hand calls incessantly for the other.
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby MandyG » Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:41 pm

Michael wrote:Why are people so obsessed with keeping parrots in pairs? I still can't understand that. It seems that it is half the problems right out.


That was one of my first thoughts too. No time put into the birds and they're kept in pairs. No wonder they won't step up and aren't hand tame! Another example of where the birds will likely be much better off without their current owners.
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby Michael » Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:36 pm

sift wrote:Just a note on the pairs thing... At our store it's the policy that lovebirds and budgies don't go home without a companion (unless there's already a companion at the home). I think it's more of a damage control thing than anything else. At least this way, if the people end up not spending enough time with the birds after the novelty wears off, the birds will have company and not be so incredibly lonely. Finches go home in pairs or - preferably - trios. We also have a peach fronted conure that I would be veeery unwilling to send home without her chosen companion - a Quaker parrot. If you pick one of them up without the other one, the one who is left behind shrieks up a storm and the one who is on your hand calls incessantly for the other.


This is an awful policy. I would never buy from a store that would try to impose rules on me like that. I constantly get pestered on youtube for advice about getting a budgie or lovebird to step up and not bite. The number one reason I see people getting disappointed/bored of their parakeet, parrotlet, or lovebird is because they bought them in a pair. The birds are happy to be with each other and see the human as a disturbance to their equilibrium. Then the human (often a child) gets disappointed that the birds don't want to spend time with them.

Furthermore, parrots are complex social creatures and depending on the pairing, it can do more harm then good. If the parrots that are paired are incompatible it may lead to fighting. If the parrots are opposite sex, it can lead to chicks in a brood. None of these are things a newbie is ready to deal with. I absolutely believe that (except for special case expert care) parrots should not be kept in pairs.

Thank you for contributing to the "We've just realised that we aren't bird people" and let's put them up for sale on craiglist kind of mentality. I honestly don't know if the birds would fare better if they were singly owned then in pairs but I do know that there would be far less discussion about "I have two birds and they are mean." At least there would be more potential for a human companion and for the pet owner actually enjoying their pet. I understand that it's easier to just put 2 birds in a cage and food then love and human interaction. This is wrong though. I'd rather people not own birds at all then to keep them like fish in a tank. If people have one, at least they have the opportunity to interact with it and become a bird person out of it. With a pair, I think it just leads to disappointment and the kind of rehoming we just heard about.
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Michael
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Re: Most ridiculous reasons for rehoming?

Postby miajag » Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:40 pm

I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping them in pairs or groups as long as you go in with the understanding that they will most likely bond to each other rather than you and won't be as interactive with humans as a lone parrot would be. I agree that's a really silly policy for a store to have, though.
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